Which combination of findings BEST supports that a skin wound was inflicted AFTER death rather than before it?

• A Gaped margins with eversion of edges and profuse bleeding
• B Gaping wound with retraction of cut ends of vessels
• C Bruising of surrounding tissue with clotted blood in the wound track
• D Clean-cut margins, minimal gaping, no eversion, and absence of inflammatory reaction ✓

Explanation

Antemortem wounds gape widely because living skin retains elastic tone, the edges evert, vessels retract, and there is bleeding with clots plus a vital inflammatory reaction. After death, loss of skin elasticity means a postmortem wound gapes minimally, the margins stay smooth and flat without eversion, bleeding is scanty or absent, and there is no leucocytic infiltration or repair response. Retraction of vessel walls and extravasation of blood into tissues require circulatory pressure and vitality, which kill the most tempting distractor.

Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Narayan Reddy, 34th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.